The API has two types of interoperability: between the backup-archive
client and API applications and between different operating systems.
Backup-archive client interoperability
The backup-archive command line can access API objects
to provide limited interoperability. API objects can only be viewed
and accessed from the backup-archive command line client and cannot
be viewed or accessed from any of the graphical interfaces. The backup-archive
command-line client can only restore content of the file and nothing
else, so you should only use it for a salvage type of operation.
Operating system interoperability
The Tivoli Storage Manager API supports cross-platform interoperability. Applications
on a UNIX or Linux system can operate on file spaces and objects that are backed up
from a Windows system. Similarly, a Windows system can operate on a UNIX or Linux system.
Backing up multiple nodes with client node proxy support
Backups of multiple nodes which share storage can be consolidated
to a common target node name on the Tivoli Storage Manager server. This
method is useful when the system that runs the backup can change over
time, such as with a cluster. You can also use the asnodename option to restore data from a different system other than the one
which ran the backup.